Fate is Not My Friend
by SirensandSeers
Summary: Draco finally feels as if he has is life together. He's got the girl, the job, and a life after being a death eater. Hermione is the happiest she has ever been in her life. She finally feels peace in her life. But then, a marriage law sneaks into the lives of Draco and Hermione and one thing is apparent: fate is not their friend. Rated M for later chapters
1. Chapter 1

Hello! I have had this story stuck in my head for a bit now. The story is Canon Compliant except for the epilogue. Enjoy and please review!

-JK Rowling is Queen-HP belongs to her.

Hermione Granger's hands were trembling. Shaking, really. Her breath was coming short as she moved quickly through the streets of Diagon Alley. It was raining out and she was glad for it because otherwise, someone might stop her to say hello and they would see that Hermione Granger was panicking.

Hermione Granger was not a panicker. She was level headed. She made logical decisions and thought ideas out. However, Hermione Granger was way past logic. She was about to enter into full blown hysteria if she didn't calm down soon. So despite the rain, and despite the fact that Hermione's hair would now resemble a triangle around her face, she was thankful that nobody could see just how bloody frantic she was.

Hermione hustled down the street, weaving in and out of people and clutching a missive in her hands. Finally, she reached the old brick building two down from Gringotts. She entered and walked right past the lobby desk and up the three floors. The door plaque was new and Hermione barely even glanced at it as she stormed into the offices on the third floor. Sitting behind the reception desk was a pretty woman, with cropped black hair and dark rimmed glasses. She was wearing a chic green blouse and was looking down when Hermione entered.

"Parkinson, is Malfoy in? Where is Malfoy?" Hermione all but yelled at her. Pansy looked up and stared at the woman, a bit taken back. Hermione looked a fright. Her eyes were wide and her hair was wet but had somehow gotten frizzy on her way to Malfoy and Nott Consulting and Law. Hermione looked on the edge of a panic and Pansy, while not a close friend of the girl, got a bit worried.

"Her-" Pansy began with a worried look.

"Is he here, Pansy? Is he? Has he got an owl from the Ministry?" Hermione was shrieking, quiet unlike her usual even temperedness with Pansy.

"Well, yes, he got a letter but he has been with Mr. Fudge for the last hour and I've been holding his mail…" Pansy looked concernedly at Hermione.

"Have you got an owl from the ministry?" Hermione looked panicked even more so, like she was about to go absolutely mental.

Pansy sent a nervous glance at the door which had the name 'Malfoy' etched onto it. Hermione was getting louder and she looked a right mess. It would do no good for Mr. Fudge to see her like this and ruin what could be a potential client relationship.

"Hermione," Pansy began, "maybe you should come back later… now may not be a good time. You look like you are having a rough day, I can firecall Potter or Weasel for you perhaps..." Pansy trailed off

Hermione gave a manic laugh, "I do not want you to firecall anyone. I need Malfoy's letter. Where is Malfoy's letter?" Hermione hurried around the desk and started to move papers around Pansy's neat receptionist desk.

"Granger! What are you doing?!"

"Where is the letter?!" shrieked hermione, "Where is the bloody letter?" Hermione was outright yelling at the girl. And Pansy started to get frightened. What was in that letter that Hermione wanted so bad? Why had she asked about her own letter? What was going on?

Hermione continued to make a mess of the papers until she lifted a crips, white, letter with the ministry seal on it. In the corner it read "_Department of Magical Marriages"_ on it. The seal, a bit different then usual, matched the one that Hermione had clutched in her hand. Without another glance at Pansy, Hermione started towards the door with Malfoy's name on it.

"Hermione! You cannot go in there! Draco is in a meeting with-" but it was no use. Hermione had already entered the office and shut the door behind her.

Hermione barged in right as Draco told a very portly, short man, who was wearing a yellow bowler hat, "Mr. Fudge, for the last bloody time, I am sorry but no matter your social standing or the fact that you were once Minister of Magic, I do not do _pro bono_ work."

Draco looked up at his desk and saw Hermione, sopping wet, with wide eyes, and a look of absolute panic standing at his doorway.

"Granger, what are you doing here?" He said mostly surprised with a slight sneer.

"Malfoy," Hermione bit out, glancing briefly at Mr. Fudge who looked like he had sucked on a lemon at the sight of Hermione, "I need to talk to you. Right. Now." She spit out the last words through clenched teeth. Meanwhile, her hands were clenching two letters. One, delicately addressed to a Ms. Hermione Granger and another addressed to a Mr. Draco Malfoy.

Mr. Fudge gauffed at Hermione Granger, "excuse me, but Mr. Malfoy is in a client meeting with the Minister of Magic!"

"Ex Minister of Magic" Hermione bit out, still staring right at Malfoy.

"Well! See here," the man began but Draco rolled his eyes, and Hermione stood staring at Draco. "Mr. Fudge, our business is done. My prices are not going to change for you. Good day, you may see yourself out and set up an appointment with Ms. Parkinson on your way out if you would like to make an appointment for full charges on your court case against the Wizengamot."

Cornelius Fudge stood up, glaring at Hermione, and stalked out. Hermione continued to look right at Malfoy. His blond hair combed to the side, he was wearing crisp black robes that fit him in the shoulders, and his handsome face held little emotion. But his eyes, his grey, beautiful eyes stared back at her.

"Malfoy, I got a letter. I got a bloody letter from the ministry." Hermione's voice started to waver, her hands still clenching the two letters tightly in her fist. She was almost afraid to let them go, to open Malfoys.

"Why are you calling me Malfoy? You haven't done that since the second date when I told you I would start calling your Mrs. Malfoy if you couldn't use my first name." Draco smirked slightly at her and leaned back in his office chair slightly. The large oak desk still separated Hermione and himself.

"Mal-Draco, it's serious, please… just.." Hermione stumbled over her words. Her panic and mania starting to turn to hysteria. Her wide eyes starting to water and her hands ,still shaking, held out the letter that said "Mr. Draco Malfoy" on the front of it.

Draco stood up from his desk and walked around to Hermione. Womens tears always got him, the crazy look in her eye was kind of endearing he thought, but the tears, got him to stand up and pay more attention. He looked at her curiously, her erratic behavior starting to throw him off. He had seen Hermione a little frantic multiple times in the past months. But not to the point of hysteria that she had just entered. Draco took the letter from her outstretched hand and saw the sender name, "_Department of Magical Marriages," _his eyes snapped up to Hermione's. He had never heard of such a department in the ministry before. Hermione was biting her lip to keep from crying. Her trembling seeming to take over her entire body. Her eyes stared at the letter in Draco's hands.

Draco turned it over and opened it.

_The Department of Magical Marriages_

_April 17th, 2003_

_Dear Mr. Malfoy Draco,_

_Due to declining numbers of witches and wizards following the Second Wizarding War, the Ministry of Magic has decided to enact a Marriage Law. Witches and wizards, ages 20-40, will be paired together at random. These matches are final and cannot be changed- no exceptions. Witches and Wizards already engaged and able to prove their engagement prior to this date will be able to marry. However, all other witches and wizards must marry their ministry pick to ensure fairness and longevity of the law. _

_All paired couples will need to provide proof of marriage by December 31st, 2003. All paired couples must provide at least one magical child by 2010. If medical assistance is needed, the ministry will provide. All pregnancy and childbearing costs will be covered by the minisitry. _

_Your matched partner is:_

_Susan Bones_

_Please get in contact with your matched pair within the next 30 days or be subject to Ministry fines. _

_Warm Regards, _

_Meredith Bulstrode_

_Head of Department of Magical Marriages _

Draco read through the letter twice. He stared at the parchment in his hands, his knuckles starting to turn white on the edges. He felt like he was in a trance as he read the letter again and again. And then, he heard a slight sniffle and his head snapped up. Hermione was staring at him, tear tracks starting to appear on her cheeks.

"Who is your match, Draco?" she asked softly. Her own hands trembling on her already opened and crumpled letter. Hers read an hour earlier in her office, alone, and feeling the same shock that Draco was now going through.

"Susan Bones. Who is yours?" Draco asked still in a bit of shock from reading the ministry letter.

"Terry Boot."

Hermione and Draco stared at each other for a minute, looking deep in the eyes of the other. Their eyes said a thousand things that neither of them could yet say out loud. And then Hermione started to sob. Great, wallowing sobs, and Draco rushed forward and caught her as she started to collapse.

"Hermione, love, shhh.." Draco murmured into her hair, and led her to a nearby chair in front of his desk. "We'll go to Kingsley, we'll repeal it."

"Didn't you read it? No exceptions.. And we aren't engaged." Hermione sobbed into his neck.

"We'll figure it out!" Draco was still in shock, his usual quick temper not firing as it usually did.

Draco held Hermione as she sobbed. He closed his eyes briefly and thought about what they had been through to get to where they were now.

They hated each other in school.

She was a bloody mudblood.

He was born into blood purity and destined to be a death eater.

She chose the light.

He chose the dark.

She was a war hero.

He was a reformed death eater.

She testified at his trial.

He owed her his life.

She forgave him for being a child born into the wrong family.

He followed her career through the papers.

She allowed him to buy her coffee every now and then from "Lattes and Lumos" down the street.

He asked her to dinner on the October 15th of the last year.

She said no.

He asked again and again until finally,

She said yes.

She loved him.

He loved her.

But now, the ministry, destined them to marry another. Would fate ever be on their side?

Draco pulled Hermione closer to him and kissed her head. Fate had never been his friend.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2!

Wow! Thank you for all the support on chapter one! I love reading the comments on here and on facebook. I honestly am going chapter by chapter for this.

Rowling is always queen- HP belongs to her.

October 2002

Hermione glanced at the clock in her office. 2 PM. She would probably need a cup of coffee to get her through this paperwork. She would be here til at least 10 o'clock tonight and she would need a shot of something to get her through. Working through manuscripts took time and she, an associate at Time-Turner Tales Publishing, was supposed to get this done by Friday.

She had started working for the minisity after her final year at Hogwarts but had quickly found that she missed reading and books. Working with magical creatures had been a dream of hers as a child and while she felt passionate about her plight against their injustices, it had lost some of its appeal after the wizarding war. Books had always been the best escape for her and when the war started to play in her nightmares, Hermione quit Ministry work and started her dream of working with books. She got a job at TTT Publishing and had been here for almost 3 years now. She knew that one of the head associates was retiring in the next year or so and Hermione was doing everything she could to ensure that promotion went to her. She needed it. She _deserved it. _She was convinced of it.

Her small office at TTT was quiet but it was hers. She read through novels, fiction, smut, historical tales, and even, to her own horor, quidditch manuals. Harry and Ron teaser her relentlessly over the last one. She was currently reading through a biography of Helga Hufflepuff and Hermione still had 400 pages to go. She glanced at the clock again and made a quick decision. She grabbed her small bag and told the receptionist she would be back shortly. Hermione headed for the coffee shop down the street, _Lumos and Lattes_. The coffee shop was friendly and was run by a muggleborn, Tally Moore. She had incorporated muggle coffees into Diagon Alley and for that, Hermione loved her. She and Tally had become quick friends. Tally had been 4 years ahead of Hermione at Hogwarts and had gone into hiding during the war. She had lost her brother, a muggle, but had been able to keep her parents safe. Lumos had been her little brothers favorite spell to watch Tally perform and so Tally had incorporated it into the coffee shop name. Her business had been booming for the past 3 years and Hermione hoped it would stay that way.

Hermione walked through Diagon Alley and waved to a few people she knew. She should stop and see Harry tomorrow, she thought, as she passed the Ministry. She tried to see him at least once per week. Ginny, too. She hadn't seen Ron in about a month or two, he had worked as an auror very briefly before deciding that he had seen enough fighting for a lifetime. He had applied for a job at the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary and moved in with Charlie. He first worked at the very bottom of the chain there, shoveling dragon dung. But he had eventually worked up the ranks in the Dragon Sanctuary. Hermione was happy for him. She tried to write him weekly but Ron was awful at returning letters to anyone but his mum.

Hermione entered _Lumos and Lattes_ with a smile and a wave at Tally who was working behind the espresso machine with delicate flicks and swishes of her wand. Her two baristas were also busily working the afternoon rush.

Hermione walked up to the short line behind the counter and heard the door jingle behind her but she did not turn around. She was focused on reading the menu. Did she want a caramel frappuccino today? Or did she want a simple mocha? Oh, she noticed that gingerbread had made its way into the monthly speciality flavors. She would mostly likely be getting a 20 ounce, as she had a lot of manuscript left to read today.

She was still contemplating her order and staring at the menu on the wall still when a deep voice said behind her, "You're next, Granger."

"Oh, sorry-!" Hermione turned to the man standing behind her and paused for a minute. Sneering slightly back at her was Draco Malfoy. Occasionally, Hermione had run into Draco or passed him in the streets. His offices were close to Gringotts and so it was inevitable that they saw one another. His school times jabs had stayed in school time but Hermione felt she was still a bit weary of being around Draco Malfoy. She had never been in this close proximity to him since, well, since the trial in which she testified for him. He looked older now, his blonde hair swept to the side and his dark green dress robes fit his arms and chest well. He still had a sneer on his handsome face, but it didn't look malicious anymore. Instead, it looked slightly amused.

Hermione cleared her throat and tried again, "Malfoy, sorry, I'll move right ahead now."

Draco's amused sneer intensified and he nodded at her and pointed forward with an outstretched hand.

"Hi Alfred," Hermione said to the barista, "I'll take a 20oz mocha, please," she paused and added, "with a dash of cinnamon on top."

The magical quill Alfred was yielding wrote on her cup as she placed her order.

"That will be 12 sickles Ms. Granger" Alfred told her.

"I'll get this Granger, and I will have a 12 oz black coffee with room for cream please." Draco cut in, pulling his change purse out of the pocket of his robes.

"What? No! I am perfectly capable of buying my own coffee," Hermione said defensively. Crossing her arms and stepping closer to the register. Alfred looked back and forth at the two of them, facing off it seemed.

"Granger, it's just a cup of espresso, I can get it" Draco told her.

"No, no. I can buy my own coffee. Really, a nice gesture, Malfoy, but I can get it myself." Hermione said a bit panicky. There was absolutely no need for him to buy her a cup, that was just odd.

"Granger, don't be such a bloody swat. I know you can get your own, just let me buy you a cup of coffee." Draco sneered at her, a look of pure annoyance coming across his face.

"I. dont. Want. you. To. buy. Me. a. Cup. of. Coffee." Hermione said through clenched teeth. How dare he call her a swat? Malfoy was not her friend, there was absolutely no need for him to buy her coffee. Her hands fisting as she glared at Draco Malfoy, who was now glaring right back at her.

"It's just a cup of bloody coffee Granger!"

"Exactly! I can pay for my own."

Their voices raised, still glaring back at one another. Hermione's menacing hair swirling around them both.

"For Merlin's sake, Granger! I am just trying to do something nice for you!" Draco voice was starting to raise and unbeknown to the pair of them the crowd in the coffee shop was starting to turn to look at the pair who were arguing back and forth. Alfred stood behind the counter still, slack jawed, as the two of them continued to bite out remarks about who was going to pay the galleon for the two cups of coffee. His money was on Granger.

"Err, how about these cups are on the house, eh?" Tally cut in at that moment. Stopping her frantic wand swishing behind the counter and coming to stand beside Alfred.

"What?! No Tally, I can buy my cup of coffee. Draco can buy his and I will buy mine. It is not a big deal" Hermione told her friend and shot a menacing look at Malfoy.

Draco stood silently, staring at Tally and Granger. Inwardly cursing how bloody annoying Granger still was.

"Hermione, your a great friend but your not exactly good for business right now" Tally told her with a nervous smile; her eyes flickering around the coffee shop. Hermione looked a bit taken back and looked down sheepishly at her toes.

"Sorry Tally, I didn't mean to.. Malfoy just.. Merlin.. I.." Hermione couldn't seem to get out a full sentence.

"Here's your coffees, mates!" Alfred cut in. While Tally had been interrupting the bickering of Hermione and Draco, Alfred had snapped out of his trance and made the mocha with cinnamon and black coffee with room for cream.

Both Hermione and Draco stared at each other for a few seconds, neither willing to apologize.

"Thanks Alfred and sorry again Tally." Hermione said with a red tint to her cheeks. For a moment, she thought to argue and pay for her drink but she felt she had embarrassed herself enough in that moment. Arguing with Malfoy in a coffee shop, _honestly. _They weren't in Hogwarts anymore!

She ducked out the door and headed started the short walk back to her office to finish reading her manuscript. On the way she couldn't help but think of Draco _sodding _Malfoy. Just who did he think he was? She didn't need him to buy her coffee. She did not need him to do anything! How dare he just assume, after never speaking one word to her in the past years, that he could just buy her coffee. Like she was some low level peasant that needed his few sickles to buy her a cuppa espresso. Hermione continued to fume the entire walk back to her office thinking the entire time about what exactly she would say to Malfoy if she ran into him again.

Once back in her office, Hermione started reading about Helga Hufflepuff again. However, Draco Malfoy kept coming back into her brain and his outrageous idea about buying her coffee. That made zero sense to Hermione and she couldn't help but keep coming back to it.

By the end of the day Hermione had thought about Draco Malfoy more then she was willing to admit. Maybe even more than she thought about him during Hogwarts when Harry and Ron were so convinced that he was a Death Eater. They hadn't been wrong exactly, but that was beside the point.

As Hermione layed in bed that night she couldn't help but come back to the question that had been bothering her all day long: just why had Draco wanted to buy _her _a cup of coffee?

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

By the end of the week Hermione had all but banished Draco Malfoy from her brain. She excused the incident of Malfoy feeling guilty and wanting to make up his years of teasing by buying her a cup.

She was done reading her manuscript about Helga Hufflepuff and had given the manuscript to her superior to read over her notes and recommendation. Really, Hermione thought, there are a dozen biographies that say the same thing as that one. No need to for TTT to spend more money on a story that probably won't sell.

Friday evening meant that Hermione was going to sit in her living room and read the latest book on muggle to wizard technology that Percy Weasley had published. It was a bloody good book, with a sweet dedication to his father, Arthur Weasley and a foreword by none other then herself. It was fun to read something that Percy had put forward. As she organized her desk before leaving, Hermione thought she better stop in and talk with Tally. Hermione figured that venturing back into _Lumos and Lattes _was safe on a Friday evening. Surely, Malfoy had better things to do and Hermione could avoid another run in with him. Hermione rarely got caffeine on a Friday evening but she had been feeling a bit embarrassed over the incident with Malfoy and wanted to apologize to Tally.

Hermione locked her office and said goodbye to the receptionist who was also getting ready to leave. She buttoned her robes up and headed down the street to the coffee shop. As she walked in she noticed that is was, thankfully, deserted at this time of day save for Tally standing behind the register.

"Hello Hermione!" Tally said brightly as she entered. "Coffee on a Friday night? I'm not used to seeing you at this time of day."

"Hello there, Tally. You're right, I don't normally get coffee this time of day. But I've been thinking about the _incident" _she whispered the last word a bit sheepishly " and I figured I should come in and say sorry one more time. That was just so embarrassing and I am really sorry if I hurt business of your shop that day"

"Oh, forget it" the girl said grinning widely. "Malfoy can rile up just about anyone, eh?"

"Oh yes, but, really, I haven't even really seen him since school."

"And what did you think of him then? He's grown right handsome in his years since, has he not?" Tally's grin grew even wider and her eyes sparkled as she leaned forward on the counter and rested her chin in her hand.

"I guess he's right handsome but I still think he's a bloody prat! It's like he was enjoying getting me riled up." Hermione told her friend who continued to grin at her like a loon.

"Oh reallyyyyy.." Tally drew out, "and what do you think his best feature is?"

"Tally! I don't know, it's the first time I've seen him up close in years. Honestly, what has gotten into you?" Hermione looked a bit incredulous at Tally's ribbing.

"It's his eyes, huh?"

"Well, yes, I guess they are quiet pretty…" Hermione admitted slowly, not really understanding where all Tally's questions were coming from since Tally and her hadn't really ever talked about men before, let alone Draco Malfoy.

"Well, Granger, I'm truly flattered that you think my eyes are pretty and that I am so breathtaking handsome" said a deep, smug voice from behind her. Hermione whipped around and standing there in a sharp, deep blue, muggle suit was Draco bloody Malfoy. Hermione's face instantly went red and Tally let out a loud laugh from where she was currently leaning.

"Tally!" Hermione hissed at the coffee shop owner. Tally snickered and her eyes flashed mischievously. Tally must have full known that Malfoy had snuck in the coffee shop behind her. Thus, her insistent ribbing for finding an attractiveness about him.

Draco looked smug, a a knowing smile lifting the corners of his handsome face.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy? Are you following me?" Hermione hissed at him working hard on getting her breathing back to normal and keeping her voice below a shout. Draco's smug smile fell off his face and he rolled his eyes at her.

"Tally, dear, I'm in for my Friday green tea on my way home" he told the barista before turning back to Hermione. "For your information, Granger, I get a green tea every Friday at 5:30PM, just ask Tally. I'm sorry if you are so mental that you think that because we ran into each other twice at a coffee shop that I would be actually following you."

Hermione gaped at Malfoy's little speech and reminded herself not to get angry. Draco took her silence as the end of the conversation and moved around her to pay for his drink since she hadn't yet ordered. Hermione sighed and turned to look briefly at the art on the wall, how had she gotten to this place where she bickered with Malfoy in coffee shops and accused him of stalking her? She had _not_ meant for that to come out.

"Here you are, Draco" Tally said handing over his drink. Hermione, lost in thought had missed Malfoy paying. Without casting another glance in her direction Malfoy thanked Tally and left the coffee shop. Hermione stared after him for a moment realizing that in her surprise at seeing him there she hadn't once said anything about his muggle suit. Why was he even wearing it? Merlin, she had a lot of questions about Draco Malfoy. Hermione glanced at Tally who was looking at her with a smirk.

"Well, Hermione, did you see something you liked then?" Tally teased her.

"What? No, no, just odd to see him in a muggle suit is all" Hermione glared at her friend who had tricked her into complimenting Malfoy in his presence. "And what was that all about anyway?!"

"Hmmm….what?" Tally grinned at her, unashamedly.

"You know, the thing with Malfoy just then!"

"What are you havin' to drink, love?" Tally asked her suddenly.

"Tally! What was that?! You made me compliment him!" Exasperated, Hermione hissed at her.

"Me? No, I just asked a question! You answered it? So can I clean the machine then? You aren't having anything?"

"No, no, I'll have a gingerbread latte I suppose" Hermione rushed, "but you did so! You knew Malfoy was standing behind me!"

Tally ignored Hermione and went about making her coffee and flicking her wand towards the flavoring. Her machine was set up to be able to make quick lattes in a rush by using magic and doing it slowly using the muggle method. Since the shop wasn't busy, Tally started frothing the milk the muggle way in order to ignore Hermione a bit longer.

Hermione let out a long sigh and waited for her friend to make her coffee. What had Tally been thinking? How embarrassing that Draco heard that! Frustrated Hermione took the hairband off her wrist and twisted her hair up into a quick twist on top of her head.

Tally finished her coffee and put it on the counter by the register. "Here ya are, love." Tally grinned widely at her. Hermione looked at Tally, her short brown straight hair cut into a bob under her chin. She had a small nose and blue eyes. Her slight freckles on her cheeks and small nose made her look quiet mousey, but in an adorable way. Hermione sighed and picked up her coffee, glaring at Tally a bit. Tally bit out a short laugh.

"Oh, Hermione, I'm sorry." Tally said, still slightly chuckling. "It was just a bit of fun." Tally was still grinning and it was starting to infuriate Hermione.

"Oh yes Tally, hilarious" Hermione rolled her eyes at her. "How much do I owe you for the latte?" Hermione looked down to grab her change purse from her work bag. Tally chuckled again and Hermione looked up and saw a wild, big smile on Tally's face.

"Don't worry about it love," Tally told her with a wide grin on her face, "Draco paid for your coffee when he bought his."

Hermione gaped at her. "WHAT?"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi all! A bit of background this chapter before we get caught back up to the marriage law. I know we didn't see a huge amount of relationship this chapter but next chapter is full of it!

Also, I looked up the conversion rate for sickles/galleons to USD and did my best to estimate a cup of coffee. All error is mine and google's if it seems off. :)

Read and review pls! xoxo


End file.
